"I was 16. ... Look, I'm not saying that experiencing loss is why I can cope with darker worlds, I'm not saying that for a second," he said. "But I think it opens up a side of you in terms of work that wouldn't be as accessible had that stuff not happened."

Are his friends that he's known since he was young excited for his big break? ... Kind of.

"A friend of mine said, 'I heard about "Fifty Shades." Congratulations on the role. That's going to be disgusting. I won't watch it,'" he said.

What's next for Dornan? He said a romantic comedy is a possibility.

"One hundred percent if [the romcom] was well crafted, which loads of them aren't," he said. "I like the idea of comedy. Being a leading man can come in many different forms."